Felt hardening machine



Aug. 16, 1949. H. M. GOODCHILD 2,479,228

FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTQR.HARRY M Go n/mp A TTOEIVEY Aug. 16, 1949. M. GGODCHILD 2,479,228

7 FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept.'ll, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYAug 16, 1949.

h. M. GOODCHILD 2,479,228

FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1946 5 Shets-Sheet 4 l 'T 54 1704, B4

80 48 44 u 8 78 1 L I" 1 3 a INVENTOR.

HARM M. @oooc/mp BY 2 Kw A TTORNEY 2 6, 1949. H. M. GQODCHILD 2,479,228

FELT HARDENING MACHINE Filed Sept. '11, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 7 108112 INVENTOR.

H y M. GoopCII/AD 1 11" .12 B

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1949 UNITED S TATES PAT EN T i 0 FF ICE FELTHARDENING MACHINE Harry M. Goodchild, Amesbury, Mass, 'assignor toMerrimac Hat Gorporation, Amesbury, Mass, a. corporation ofMassachusetts Application September 11, 1946, Serial,.No..696,165

2'7 Claims.

invention relates to felt hardening machines and more particularly to amachine 'for hardening shaped Ielt bodies such as hat bodies.Heretofora-suOh felt bodies have generally been hardened in thecollapsed or flattened state in machines wherein the flattened bodiesare pressed between oscillating hardening plates .in the presenceofsteam. When hardened in the flattened state, the bodies tend toshowcrease marksat the sides unless frequently. removed and rearrangedduring the treatment. Also, because they are flattened out of theirnatural riomn, the bodies tend to wrinkle; forming irregularities in thefinished product. Only the outer surface of the body isoperated upon Toythe hardening members and in order to prevent .the opposite innersurfaces of the collapsed walls from felting and adhering. togetherunder the hardening action, it is the practice .to insert aprot'ectivelining fabric into the body prior to the hardening operationandsu-osequently toremove the iabric therefrom. For these reasons thehardening operation with such machines has been difficult, laborious andcostly, calling vfor very considerable skill on .the

part of the machine operator and frequently productive oi deiectivelyhardened Zbodies. In addi- -tion,.bodies with a rounded tip such as hat'bod-ies require two .such hardening operations ffernt machines, .a.side hardening operation on one machine and a tip hardening operation ona second machine. r 7

An object-oi this invention to vprovide ;a .felt hardening machinewherein such shaped bodies are suifiected to hardening while supportedand maintained in their natural shape, thereby eliminating .thetroublesome mrirflilmgand-creasingoi "the bodies which takes 131MB whenthey are hardened in the flattened state.

Another otn'ect is .to provide .sucha machine which is capable ofsimultaneously completely hardening 'both the and thesidesof a hat .orthe like uniiomnlyand without removalrof the partially hardened Tbody.irom the machine .for smoothing -as been necessary heretofore.

.A .furtiher-obiect to-pro-videsucha machine wherein theJinner andouter-.suzzfacesof the .body

walls are subi eeted simultaneously to hardening action, therebyincreasing .thespeed-and improving the quality of the hardening and:also eliminating the .fabric which has been required in flathardeningandtheiabor andexpense involved 'in app ing-.andremoving-the Yet anotherobjectisto-provide suchamachine svhichrequires less skill and is lesscostly to operate than prior machines but ,whicmproduces a superiorgrade of .-.-hardening. 2 V

llhe .foregoing and other obiects and advan- .ta-ges of the. inventionWillrbfiall'lDKei-HHY-QQDQIGHZ irormtheensuingparticulandescriptionof.theiinventionin conjnnction with the.appended .draw- 2 ings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of novelmechanisms of theinvention arranged in a single :machine forsimultaneously hardening the tip and sides of a felt hat body.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section, partial side elevation of themachine;

Fig'. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view of an upper portion. of the machine asshown in Figs. 1 and 2;

"Fig. 4. is .a horizontal section view on the zigzag line 44 of Fig. 3;;

Fig. 5 .is a vertical section view on .line 5-5 of Fig. 3; r V

.Eig. 6 is'a fragmentary detail view in side elevation of certain partsof the machine;

'7 is a detail View in plan of' parts of the machine:

Fig. 8 is a vertical section view on line '8-"8 of 77;

Fig. 9 is ,a detail view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 1, lookingin .thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 10' is a diagrammatic plan view of the rounded ojfahat body,illustrating by shading and ,by dot-dash lines the successive zones ofhardening action of the machine .on the tip;

'F'ig. '11 'is.'a detail side elevation View of certain operatin Partsof the machine;

Fig. "12 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 11.

' Describing now .the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in theaccompanying drawings, .and referring first to Fig. 1, the machine has amain frame in the form of a table 20 upon mountedtby means hereinafterdescribed an upstanding cone support 22 101' the hat body "B, shownmounted on thesupport in Figs. 1, 3 I

and '4. Support 22 is of generally conical shape with arounded.'-tip,;its externalshape and diameter corresponding closely tothe inner shape and .diameterofthehat bodyBzto hehardenedso thatthellatterfits tightlyandsmoothly thereon. :Support 22 is shown Jormedof .aperturedmetal .and is provided with an rough hardening surface. .Inthe illustrated machine, this hard- .surliace is .theroughened .metalsurface of the .:support itself, which .may be suitably rough- .ened 'bysand or .shot .blasting, but if desired, the support mayhe coveredwith-.arfabric .or other suitable porous hardening vmaterial. The roughsurfaced supportconstitntes inner hardening .memberiorhoth the conicalside and the rounded tip of the hat body, .as .will hereinafter appear.

Cooperating with the support and inner hardening .member :22 .an routerhardening .member :24 (Figs. v.l,, .3 and A) as .shown, is .in the formof :a -.-nrolded flexible "belt having .a rough jinnerhardening-surface. .Belt .24 is .of inverted .U-ishapefittingcloselyiover support .lz extending 3 r from tip to base thereof atopposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the support and extendingpartially about said axis. As shownin Fig. 4 the outer hardening memberor belt 24 is curved transversely, the intermediate portion of thistransverse curvature corresponding to the curvature of the contiguousportion of the support 22. Thus, the transverse curvature of themid-portion of the hardening belt opposite the tip of the support isapproximately spherical about the center of the spherically curvedsupport tip, while the two side portions of the belt are approximatelyconically curved at their mid-section about the support axis inconformity with the curvature of the rest of the support.

Referring further to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the side portions ofbelt 24 are transversely curved at increasing radius from the supportaxis so that they incline away from the surface of the support. Also,the angular extent of the transversely curved mid-portion of the beltabout the support axis is approximately uniform from adjacent the midpoint of the tip to the base. In the instance shown, this angular widthis approximately 60. Since the belt engages opposite sides of the hatbody, the total angular width of the latter which it engages is 120.Belt 24 is preferably of moldable rubber and fabric composition or ofrubber with an inner facing of fabric but may be of any suitableflexible material.

Referring again to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the portions of the hardening belt24 at opposite sides of the support tip are fastened on their outersurfaces to correspondingly transversely curved'plates 26. Projectingfrom the outer surfaces of plates 26 are upper and lower pairs ofopposite arms 28, 36. The outer ends of arms 28 are pivotally connectedto the ends of a cross strap 32 fixed to a rod34 extendinglongitudinally of the plate 26 (Figs. 1, 3 and 9). The arms 36 arepivotally connected to the lower end of a block 36 the upper end ofwhich is fixed to the lower end of rod 34 and which is slidablelongitudinally of the plate 26 in a guideway 38 projecting from asupporting frame member 40 (Figs. 1, 3 and 9) The upper end of rod 34 isfixed to a'collar member 42 (see particularly Fig. 9) pivotallyconnected by a pin 44 to the lower bifurcated end of a lever 46, the pin44 extending through the end of lever 46 and being fixedly connected toa pair of blocks 48 slidable longitudinally of plate 26 in ways 50projecting from the under surface of the plate. The upper ends of levers46 are pivotally connected to the opposite ends of a crank 52 (Fig.

.3) which is pivotally mounted at its mid portion on a rock shaft 54 theends of which are fixedly mounted in blocks 56 (Figs. 1 and 9) which arevertically slidable (for a purpose hereinafter explained) on standards58 fixedly mounted above the support 22 on a frame 60 rising from table20. An arm 62 integral with crank 52 is pivotally connected to one endof a crank arm 64 the opposite end of which rotatably receives aneccentric 66 on a shaft 68 rotatably mounted on frame 60. Shaft 68 isrotated by belt and pulley connection to a motor 16 also mounted onframe 60.

The rotation of shaft 68 by motor 10, through eccentric 66 and crank arm64, rocks crank 52 so that levers 46 are alternately oppositely raisedand lowered a small amount. This motion 'is imparted to plates 26through the longitudinal reciprocation of rods 34 with respect tomembers 40 (held stationary by means hereinafter described) and by meansof arms 28, 30 so that the plates are oscillated toward and from the topof the sup- 4 port 22 oppositely, the plate at one side of the supportmoving up while the opposite plate moves down. The hardening belt 24,-which is attached to plates 26, therefore, oscillates with themlongitudinally parallel to the surface of support 22 and in contact withthe outer surface of a hat body thereon. By reason of its flexibility,the portion of the belt extending between plates 26 over the rounded tipof the support 22 is maintained under pressure against the tip duringthe oscillation, this portion of the belt oscillating approximatelyabout an axis normal to the axis of the support and extending throughthe center of curvature of the spherical end of the support.

The relative oscillation of the hardening member 24 and support 22effects hardening action on ie segments of the hat body engaged betweenthe opposed hardening surfaces of member 24 and support 22. The actionis facilitated by passing steam into the'felt as it is rubbed betweenthe hardening surfaces, the steam applying means being describedsubsequently herein.

Sincehardening belt 24 extends only partially about theperiphery of thesupport, it is necessary, once the hardening action has been completedon the segmental portions of the side and tip of the hat body engaged bythe belt to relatively move the hardener belt and the hat body about thelongitudinal axis of the body and support to present a fresh area of thebody between the hardening surfaces of the support and belt. In themachine shown, this is accomplished by first bodily moving the hardeningbelt out of engagement with the hat body on the support and thenrotating the support about its longitudinal axis the requisite amount,by means now to be described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 and 9 it will be seen that the lower end ofeach member 40 is provided with a transverse cross bar 12 having reducedprojecting ends each of which extends through a slot 14 in a verticallydisposed segmental support member 'lfi'fixed to frame 60. Slot [4 iscurved in a vertical plane, its upper end being nearer to the upper endof member 40 in the full line position of the latter in Fig. 1. Theupper ends of members 40 are provided with laterally projecting pins 18(Fig. 4) which extend through slots in vertical supports 82 dependingfrom the upper part of framework 60 at either side of the memtheir upperends to blocks 56 which, as previously described, form the end mountingsfor rock shaft 54 and are vertically slidable on standards 58.

When the reduced ends of bars 12 are slid up- :wardly in slots 14, theyapproach the lower ends of slots 80 causing pins 18 to slide upwardlyalong said slots and bearings 56 are slid upwardly on standards 53 byarms 84 in correspondence with the upward movement of pins 18, crank arm64 pivoting on its connections to arm 62 and shaft 68 to permit thismovement. Members 40 are thereby brought to their raised position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1. Plates 26 are correspondingly moved away fromsupport 22 by their connections to members 46 carrying hardener'belt 24clear of the support and out of contact with-the 'hat body thereon, bothat the sides and over the tip, the relative tilting of the members 40during this movement, as indicated by the dotted lines in v partscohrititd thret6 beiiig permitted by outward fleiii'n of the beltadjaefit the ffli'd point of the tip of siippbit 2 2.

Meets" the provided fbr raisirig a idioiv'efihg the members as andethheeted parts b i hiai'iiptb latlon of a pair at foot peeia1sit4, asR'ferrihg [to Figs. Ii, 2; 3, i1 aha-i2, eae tithe su ports 1'6 haspivotedthereto s ievei ss having a slotted eiid which embraces thec'rihti guous reclueil ieiid "of cross bar it on member s-l1. Levers 9Bare pit tied at one end to reverts a at theothei' the toehe end oflevers 9'2 'iiigea te shait 9% rotatahlfv mounted oh frame 80. Bellcrank evers 6h each of the shafts 94 have their depe'iidihg arms '93diirleoted to rod 98 h foot pedal 86 hy e-ems mt secured at one end tosaid passing tiger pulleys m2, let on frame at, and attached attheopposite eiid to a his 99 in the end qi rodee (Figs. 11, '12). Theother, upper arms 9T 01" the bell r'a'hks are eohi'iected to a rod Hi66h. D'edal F4 by Cards 598 fastened at opposite ends to arm and to a lugit! on rod {Malone of said iidrds (oh the right in 11 and '12) passingover a guide pulley HE? and ufider a second guide pulley llz o'h frame29. r v

when the hhi'de i belt member is iii its row-- ered pesitioh, pedal '83is in its lowermost positioh and p dal -83 i in it uppennost positi'ohas shc'iwh in the drawings. By depressing pedal {)6 arms '93 of the bellrcrar'iks arel drawn inwardly tbward one another through cords i Giloppositely rdtating the two shafts 94 in the direction to raise arms 92,levers 90 and 91, The raising of levers 90 pivots levers 88in thedirection to move bar 12 upwardly in slot M to the raised position ofmembers id showii in dotted lines iii Fig. 1, and the raising ti arms atof the hen crahks' iii'ts pedal 84 to its upper position through'c'oiin'e'ctmg oords I68. The system is balanced so that 1', and of themembers 43 and connected parts remain in their up er position untillowered by depression of pedal 84, reversing the movemeht of partsju-s't iiesoribed. H v When the hardening member '2 is in its raisedpci'siti'on, support 22 is freed for rotation about its longitudinalaxis to present a fresh area of th hat body to member 2 1 forliardehing. To this end,- member 22 is provided with an annular base H4to the base of which is bolted a plate l'lfi ro tatab ly seated on ahannular member H8 (Figs. 1 and '8). Plate H5 is provided with a centralaperture which relatively rotatabl'y receives the edge of the'to'pflange of a tubular "member '12?) held against longitudinal motionrelative to plate He by a retaii iing ring :21. A rihg gear 122 provided on the base of s'u'p iiitzz is sheared by a ve tieeiiy disposedgear wheel 1-24 fitted to a shaft m ittat'sieiyiheuntedeh member it(Figs. 4 gg '5'). Gear Wheel I24 is rotated bye hahtile 1'28 ts rotatesupport 22.- p

il's'o pivoted on member H8 is a latch member 136' the notched head ofwhich is spring urged tb a "position Of eh'g'a'g'lileht with teeth "32proi'eting laterally from base I'M of support '22. Teeth 1 32 areuhiferi'n'ly space-e1 abofit the axis of support 22 a distance equal tothe aiigular width ef the hardener member '24 'andinthe ma- *hiri shownthere are, therefore, six teeth l3? spa-tease" apart.

the hardening o eration has been eoin mete-d oh the poitiea of the hatbody on support 22 eh' a ged by her is raised m-ber 21-, said -'m asabove described Lateh we is th pivete'el iiv hand iii theeouhteroioekwise tl'ireot'ioh as showh E! Fi 4 te ieiease it drain atooth I 32:

v freed from the latch and m is thh 'iejtatea to suppt'it i2 ahtii the fril!'tto0th 32 reaches 'afiii is engaged by the iateh. as above noted;the anguiai eiiteht iii thisturi'i will b to, e'q'ual to the angularwidth of the hat body segments previously harqei ed 'aiid presenting theetn'tigiitus fresh'ar'ea or hat body to the iiiehiber '24 which is thenlowered aii'ti aga'ih operated to harden the second portion ef the hatbody; A soohfl turn or support it present the rest third of the hat bodysiir'isee "to member @4 for hardenihg, after whib'h' th com-'vertio'all'y slidable between guides hi2 ais'o axes to frame use. Asleev lit is vertically siit'iaeie oh the outer surface of guides {42and hasat its base a press bar T46 engaged by a hook i ii iron a footpedal 1-59; A plurality of Chains ieiare a't=- tached at one end tosleeve l ia eiiteheihg up wardly therefrom over pulleys 154 on frame iand again downwardly with their opposite ends attached to the legs [3%(Figs. ran-d ii when support :22 is in its raised position showh in i,pedal its is lowered and taught under a latchingprojection in its guideplate E56. 1:33 swinging the pedal to the ieit in said figure, it ismember tiawith support 22 which it carries is freed to slide downwardl'y under its owh weight, legs sat slidiirg downwardly in games itsnd m mber tie sli ii'i'g' downwardly iii uides m. The dow 'waiti slidingof legs !34 pulls down the ends or chairl's -15 2 attaohed theretor'aisih'g' their opposite hds and the sleeve M8 attachedthereto and'alsorais= ihg pedal fist by means of hook I45 engaged with bar 1416'. thesup ort 22 has thus arrived at its lowered position, fr'aine I33 istiltedafbout trunhion's sat by ineahs of a hand lever its (big. 2) totilt support '22 forwardly as indicated dotted line's'ih Fig. '2, crossbar M3 'slidihg' out from funder hook I 4 8. "In this position thehartl= ehed hat body is readilyremoved from the suppett 12 and a ir shhat body is applied. rhe support is then tilted back to its verticalpos'itidii wherein bar [E6 is reen'gage-d with h'oo'li M8, and

is depressed drawing sleeve H14 down ahd raising member l [8 and support22thr'ough the upward pull ehains I52 ohlegs r34. Pedai fl 5!) is newlatched to maintain the parts in raised, ardening pbs'ition until thehardening 'opei'atio'ii has been completed.

"As previously stated, means are provided for 's'upplyihg steam to thefelt during the hardeniflg fabtioifidf the machine thereon and in the'ihaehine shown the s'team is fed from the interior of support '22through the porous wall thereof into the felt. Referring particularly toFigs. 1, 3, and 4, base I M of support 22 is provided with an upstandinghollow hub I60 in which is fitted {a pipe 562 extending upwardly to nearthe top o'f'the'cone. A flange I64 onthe top of pipe 162 is fastened tothe inner wall of the support 22 and forms above it a small chamber atthe top portion "of the rounded tipof the cone. A pipe I66 is fitted atone end in the lower end 6f h'u'b 1%0; extends uewnweraiv in member 129and fi ihfh-ifififiats with a steam compartment it pedal l st providedin frame I38 through registering ports in member I20 and compartmentI68. Compartment I68 is continuously supplied with steam by means ofpipe I10 extending from the compartment axially through one of thetrunnions I40 and to a source (not shown) of steam under pressure. Steamthus flows continuously through pipes I66 and IE2 into the chamber aboveflange I04 and through the tip of support 22 into the tip of the hatbody during the hardening operation.

The interior of support 22 below flange IE4 is divided into sixsegmental compartments I1I of equal size by vertical partitions I12(Figs. 3 and 4) connected to pipe I62, flange I64, the inner wall ofsupport 22 and its base II4. These compartments have an angular width of60, equal to the angular width of the hardening area of hardener belt 24and teeth I32 are so arranged with reference to partitions I12 thatopposite pairs of said compartments register substantially exactly withthe hardening mid portion of belt 24 at each turn of the support 22, asindicated in Fig. 4. Base H4 is provided with ports I14, one in eachcompartment I1I, opposite pairs of which register with ports I18 in theupper end of member I20 when their compartments are opposite thehardener member 24. Steam is fed into member I20 from a compartment I18in frame I38 through connecting ports, compartment I18 beingcontinuously supplied with steam under I pressure from a suitable source(not shown) by a pipe I80 extending axially through a trunnion I40.

Thus, during a hardening operation, steam flows only into the twocompartments I1I which are opposite hardener member 24 and whose portsI14' are, therefore, in registry with ports I16. The steam is therebydirected entirely into the areas of the hat body undergoing hardeningaction at any given time.

It will be noted that when the support 22 is lowered on completion ofthe hardening opera tion, the downward movement of member I20 moves itsports out of registry with the corresponding ports in compartments I88and I18 and seals the latter ports, so that all flow of steam to theinterior of support 22 is automatically cut off until the support isagain raised to hardening position, as is desirable. Th provision of aseparate steam supply line to the extreme tip of the support 22 has beenfound desirable in practice since this area of the hat body is difiicultto harden properl and may require different conditions of swam than thesides. For the same reason, the angular width of the effective hardeningarea of the hardener belt portion opposite this extreme tip portion ismade greater than 60 to provide for extra hardening action on thisportion of the hat body. This is illustrated by Fig. 10, wherein theshaded area a indicates the zone of hardening engagement of member 24with the tip of the hat body. This zone increases in angular width atthe extreme top so that at each of the two other positions of thesupport 22, as indicated at 1; and c, this top portion continues toreceive hardening action.

The increasing radius of transverse curvature of the hardener belt 24 ateither side of the hardening zone thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5,provides diminishing contact at the sides of the segment being hardenedand prevents the formation of lines between successively hardened areas.

The operation of the machine has been. sufficiently explained in theforegoing description.

Because the hardening action ofthe machine is exerted simultaneously onthe opposite surfaces of the felt and produces no wrinkles and creasesin the felt, it is superior in quality as well as much quicker than thatof the prior flat plate machines. The hardening produced in a given timeis uniform and the machine may, therefore, be operated upon thesuccessive segments of the hat body for predetermined uniform timeintervals, whereas with the flat machines the hardening action is notuniform with time and has to be gauged by the operator with frequentopening of the machine and shifting and smoothing of the body. Thus thehigh degree of skill heretofore needed for the hardening operation isrendered unnecessary, as the operation of the machine is a routinematter, readily performed by unskilled labor. Since the tip and side ofa hat body are simultaneously hardened, the machine eliminates one oftwo hardening operations and machines heretofore required for hardeninghat bodies.

While the novel mechanisms of the invention have been particularlydescribed as organized in a single machine for completely hardening hatbodies, it will be readily appreciated that they may be applied in likeform to the hardening of (other shaped felt bodies of similar nature orto hardening only the side or tip of hat bodies if that be desired. Itwill also be understood that the form and arrangement of parts as shownand described is preferred only and that numerous changes may be madetherein within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having now particularly shown and described a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for hardening a wall of a hollow felt body which includesopposed hardening members relatively movable to and away from ahardening position of mutual engagement with the opposite surfaces of asegment of the felt body wall, means for relatively oscillating saidmembers while in said hardening position to effect hardening of saidbody wall segment engaged between said members, means for relativelymoving said members to and away from said hardening position and meansfor effecting relative rotation of said body and one of said membersabout the longitudinal axis of said body while said members arerelatively moved away from said hardening position to present a freshsegment of said body wall between said members for hardening.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said relative oscillation ofsaid members takes place longitudinally of said body wall.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said membershas a steam-pervious hardening surface and which includes means forpassing steam through said surface into the felt.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 arranged for hardening a said feltbody having a conical base and rounded tip wherein said segment of saidbody wall engaged between said members extends from the lower edge ofthe base to the mid-point of the tip of said body.

5. A machine for hardening a wall of a hollow felt body which includes asupport member adapted to fit coaxially within and support said bodywall, said support member having a hardening surface engaging the innersurface of said wall, a hardening member having a hardening surfaceengageable with a segment of said wall of the body on said supportmember, means for relatively moving said members to and away from -9 ahardening positionof mutual engagement of their hardening surfaces withsaid wall, means for relatively oscillating said members substantiallyparallel to their opposed hardening surfaces while in'said hardeningposition to effect hardening of the body Wall segment engaged by theopposed hardening surfaces of said members, and means for relativelyrotatin said members about the axis of said support member while'saidmembers are relatively moved away from said hardening positionto-present a fresh segment of the wall between said members forhardening.

6. A machine as claimed in claim arranged for hardening a conicallycurved wall of a hollow felt body wherein said hardening surface of saidsupport member has a substantially conical curvature and said hardeningsurface of said hardening member has a concave conical curvaturesubstantially coaxial with said support member in the-hardening positionof said members.

7.- A machine as claimed in claim 5 arranged forhardening a sphericallycurved wall of a hollow felt body wherein said hardenin surface of saidsupport member has a substantially spherical curvature and saidhardening surface of said hardening member has aconcave sphericalcurvature substantially concentric with said hardening surface of saidsupport in the hardening position of said members.

8. A machine as claimed in .clai m 5 wherein one of said hardeningmembers is steam pervi-ous and which includes means for passing steamthrough said surface into the felt portion engaged thereby when inhardening position.

9. A machine 'for hardening a conical wall of a hollowfelt body whichincludes a conical support adapted to fit snugly, coaxially within saidwall, a hardening surface on said supportengaging the inner surface ofsaid Wall, a hardener member movable to and away from a hardeningposition of engagement with the outer surface of a segment of said bodywall on said support of substantially uniform angular width about thelongitudinal axis of said support, means for relatively oscillating saidsupport and said member longitudinally of said support axis andsubstantially parallel to their opposed surfaces when said member is insaid hardening position, and means by which said support and said memberare mounted for relative rotation about the axis of said support topresent difierent segments of said wall to said member for hardening.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9 which includes means for moving saidhardener member to and away from said hardening position and means forrelatively rotating said support and said member about said axis throughan angle equal to the angular width of said body wall segment while saidmember is moved away from said hardening position.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said hardener memberincludes opposed portions engageable with segments of said body wall atopposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said support.

12. A machine for hardening a spherically curved wall of a hollow feltbody which includes a support having a substantially spherically curvedhardening surface adapted to fit snugly concentrically within said wall,a hardener member movable to and away from a hardening position ofengagement with a segment of said body wall on said support ofsubstantially uniform angular width about the longitudinal axis of saidsupport '10 from the base to adjacent the-mid-point of said wall, meansfor relatively oscillating said support and said member about an-axissubstantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said support andextending approximately through the center of curvature of saidhardening surface of said support, and means by which said support andsaid member are mounted for-relative rotation about the longitudinalaxis of said support to present different segments of said wall to saidmember for hardening.

13. A'machine as claimed -in claim 12 which includes means for movingsaid hardener member to and away from said hardening position and meansfor relatively'rotating 'saidsupport and said member about said supportaxis through an angle equal to 'theang'ular width of said body wallsegment while said member is moved away from said hardening position.

14. A'inachine'as claimed in claim 12 wherein said hardener memberincludes opposed portions engageable with segments of said body wall atopposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said support.

'15. In amachine for hardening a hollow felt body which includes asupport member adapted to fit coaxially within and support the bodywall, a hardener member arranged for hardening engagementwith the outersurface ofa segment of the body wall on said support, said member havinga concave hardening surface opposed to said support and extending'o'nl-ypartially about the longitudinal axis of the "support, said hardeningsurface having a cross-sectional curvature of constantradius about saidaxis at its mid-portlon and of increasing radius about said axis fromsaid mid-portion toward the side edges thereof. I A

16. A machine as claimed in claim 15 wherein said mid-portion of saidhardening surface is of substantially uniform angular width about saidaxis.

17. A machine for hardening hollow felt bodies which includes a supporthaving a conical base and rounded tip adapted to fit snugly within andsupport a correspondingly shaped felt body, a hardening surface on saidsupport, hardener means having hardening surfaces arranged for hardeningengagement with the outer surfaces respectively of a segment of theconical base portion and with a segment of the rounded tip portion ofthe body wall on said support, said segments extending the full lengthof said respective portions of the body wall, means for relativelymoving said hardener means and said support to and away from a positionof hardening engagement of said surfaces of said hardener means withsaid body wall segments, means for relatively oscillating said supportand hardener means to elfect hardening of said segments, and means forrelatively rotating said support and said hardener means about thelongitudinal axis of said support while said support and hardener meansare relatively moved away from said position to present fresh segmentsof said portions of the body wall to said hardener means for hardening.

18. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said segment of saidconical base portion of the body wall is of substantially uniformangular width about the longitudinal axis of said support.

19. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said hardener means aremovable by said moving means to and from said position of harden- 11 ingengagement with said body wall segments. 20. A machine as claimed inclaim 17 wherein said relative oscillation of said support and saidhardener means takes place longitudinally of said body wall segments andparallel to the opposed hardening surfaces of said hardener means andsaid support.

21. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein said support is rotated bysaid means for relatively rotating said support and hardening means.

22. A machine as claimed in claim 1'7 wherein said support and saidhardener means are relatively movable to and from a second position inwhich said support is exposed for application of felt bodies to saidsupport and for their removal.

23. A machine as claimed in claim 1'? wherein said support and saidhardener means are relatively tiltable about an axis transverse to thelongitudinal axis of said support to expose said support for applicationand removal of felt bodies.

24. A machine as claimed in claim 17 wherein at least one of the opposedhardening surfaces engaging each of said body wall segments issteam-pervious and which includes means for passing steam through saidsurface into said body wall segment during hardening thereof.

25. A machine for hardening a spherically curved wall of a hollow feltbody which includes two hardener members having opposed respectivelyconvex and concave substantially spherically curved hardening surfacesengageable substantially concentrically with the inner and outersurfaces of a segment of said wall, and means for relatively oscillatingsaid members about an axis extending approximately through the center ofcurvature of said wall.

26. A machine for hardening a, conically curved wall of a hollow feltbody which includes two hardener members having opposed respectivelyconvex and concave substantially conically curved hardening surfacesengageable substantially coaxially with the inner and outer surfaces ofa segment of said wall, and means for relatively oscillating saidmembers parallel to their opposed hardening surfaces and longitudinallyof the longitudinal axis of said wall.

27. A machine for hardening a hollow felt body having a conical base androunded tip which includes hardener means comprising opposedrespectively convex and concave substantially spherically curvedhardening surfaces engageable substantially concentrically with theinner and outer surfaces of a segment 01 a said rounded tip of a saidbody and a pair of opposed respectively convex and concave substantiallyconically curved hardening surfaces engageable substantially coaxiallywith the inner and outer surfaces of a segment of said conical base of asaid body and means for relatively oscillating said first named pair ofhardening surfaces about an axis extending approximately through thecenter of curvature of said rounded tip of a said body and forrelatively oscillating said second named pair of surfaces in paralleland longitudinally of the longitudinal axis of a said body.

HARRY M. GOODCHILD.

REFERENCES CIT ED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Card Mar. 7, 1933Number

